Dry cleaning machine



Aprifi 1,19. LE ROY BERRY 2,34%,fi43

' DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet l v ENVENTOR V f Z E.fiarry W 1944- LE ROY E. BERRY zfi'fifi DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mar INVENTOR L .E.Berry LE ROY E. BERRY DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 11. Z Berry A m'ifl w, 1944. LE Rd E BERRY 2,346,648

DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30. 1940 7 Sheets-Sheeb 4 INVENTOR L. .5. .Berry Q UM: M

April 18, 1944.

LE ROY E. BERRY 2,346,648

DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 50, 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 mvzu-ron L Berry W Mi:

April 1944- LE ROY E. BERRY 2,346,648

DRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. so. 1940 7 Sheds-s 7 F fi o 0 F o o o 1 I lllli li lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllnlllllllli 41 h l m 28 u o l/Gg L 30 v 2 85 2g 32 72 70 LE 74 73 84 a! o o 73 o 82 o 76 1s 16 I I l O O o O a o o rYTYT m 1 l i I INVENTQR L. E' Berry Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRY CLEANING MACHINE.

Le Roy E. Berry, Stockton. Calif. Application September 50, 1940, Serial No. 358,989

Claims.

This invention relates to dry cleaning machines, my main objects being to provide a machine of this type so constructed and arranged that exceptionally efilcient cleaning of fabrics of all kinds will then escape into the operating room; a Inachine which operates under cold conditions throughout, thus lessening possible damage to fabrics and enabling the main tank of the machine to be more easily maintained in a desired air tight condition and thus preventing escape of fumes into the room; a machine in which light and dark garments or fabrics may be cleaned simultaneously without fuzz or lint from either I color afiecting the other; and in general a ma-.

chine in which dry cleaning operations may be carried out quickly and easily with a. minimum of operator attention and with a minimum of operating costs. Also, the machine as a whole is simpler and hence less costly to manufacture than machines of like capacity now on the market.

The fabric containing cylinders of the machine are arranged to be first oscillated to clean the fabrics, to be then spun to extract the cleaning fluid therefrom, and to be then reoscillated for deodorizing by an air current; and a further object of my invention is to provide a driving mechanism having what I believe to be a unique arrangement for controlling the oscillating movement' and the extent or duration of such movement in each direction. 1

Another object is to provide various safety interlock features which will prevent the cylinders being oscillated while the entry door of the tank is open, or while the cylinders are spinning, and generally locking the control means for one operation while-another operation is being performed and vice versa. 7

These objects I accomplish by means ofrsuch structure and relative arrangement of parts-as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference 7 indicate corresponding .parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved machine.

Figure 2 is aplan of the tank with the cover removed, showingthe cylinders as alined with the oscillating shaft butwith the latter disengaged, and with one cylinder opened for loading.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 I Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the control unit for the spinning-motor switch.

Figure 7 is a .fragmentaryelevation showing the loading and air intake door for the tank. and its latch means.

Figure 8 isa fragmentary end view showing the door-handle latch.

- Figure 9 is an .end elevation of the control unit shown in Fig. 6, with the switch open and with the position-pedal lock and the door latch disengaged.

Figure 10 is a similar view, showing the switch closed, and the position-pedal lock and the door latch engaged.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical section on line ll-ll of Fig. 6, but with the parts in the position of Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a plan of the gear box for the oscilltlt'of Fig. 15. 7.

Referring nowmore particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the machine comprises a cylindrical closed tank I supported with its axis vertical and a certain distance from the floor bylegs 2, and connected withfiuid circulating pipes P. The top of the tank is provided with a loading and air intake opening 3 disposed toward the. front, and a window 4. rearwardly of the opening 3. A cover 5, mounted as hereafter described, normally closes the opening 3 in an air tight manner.

Projecting upwardly into the tank axially thereof from a suitable fixed bearing 6 below the tank is a drive shaft 1, turnable in a relatively long bearing 8 inthe tank. .This shaft, above ting into the cylinders.

slidable door l2 forming a portion of its circuml 9 for a stub shaft III on the adjacent ends of which are fixed the fabric retaining cylinders H. These cylinders are disposed with their axes horizontal and coincident with the axis of shaft 5 l0, andmre of perforate or open-work construction except on said adjacent ends, which are solid to prevent grease from bearing 8 from get- Each cylinder has a ferential wall and adapted. to be held closed by a latch bolt it on the cylinder at one end of the door opening and slidable axially of the cylinder. The door opening of each cylinder in turn, when the cylinder is properly disposed, registers with in a socket it mounted on an arcuate band Ida fixed on the tank wall, so that the cylinder cannot move out of line until the bolt is withdrawn from the socket.

It is to be noted that the latch bolt projects from the end of the cylinder a certain distance before it clears the door and allows the latter to be opened.

Owing to the provision of arcuate band Ma whichprojects into the path of movement of the latch bolt, such clearing of the latter from the door cannot be effected until the cylinder is in its proper position, or when the bolt alines with socket it. This prevents a careless operator from possibly opening the door when it is out of position, and thus prevents any possibility of rotation Or shifting of the cylinder while the dor is open. It will also be noted that the doors on the two cylinders and the cooperating latching mechanisms are oppositely disposed. This is in order to balance the cylinders, so that vibration due to A0 uneven weight distribution will be avoided.

Fluid thrown about the tank by the revolving cylinder unit is prevented from flowing down into bearing 8 by a skirt it fixed with bearing 9 and depending about bearing 8. Liquid is also kept from hearing 9 by endless catch troughs l3 mounted on the adjacent heads of the cylinders.

The shaft '1 is driven by means of a pulley ll thereon below the tank and from which a belt i 8 extends to a drive motor i9, the control switch 20 for the circuit of which is normally open and is actuated as will hereinafter appear.

Disposed axially of the cylinders and mounted on their opposite ends are non-circular sockets 2i for the tapered and similarlyshaped end portion 22 of a horizontal shaft 23 disposed radially of the tank. This shaft is mounted for both rotation and axial movement in a bearing 24 on the back of the tank, and projects thence into a gear box 25 in which the control mechanism for oscillating as well as axially moving said shaft is mounted, as will appear.

The shaft end 22 is kept clear of either socket while the shaft 1 is rotating, and vice versa, by

interconnecting control and safety features which will be described. Also, the shaft end 22 cannot be advanced into a socket unless the cylinder unit is disposed so that it is in line with shaft 23.

Such interconnecting control features are constructed and arranged as follows:

Fixed on shaft 23 within the gear box is a spur gear 23 slidably meshing with a pinion 21 which is intermittently driven in opposite directions in a manner which will beseen later.

' the bearing 8, is rigid with a horizontal journal 28 of conventional character mounted on a shaft 29 which extendscrosswise of shaft 23 and which is yieldably urged in a direction to cause said shaft to be advanced into a cylinder socket by a spring device 30.

The shaft 29 projects from that end of the gear box which is to the left of tank I and has a shouldered collar 3i thereon as well as an upstanding arm 32 (see Fig. 5). The shoulder is normally engaged by a horizontal pivoted latch bar 33, disposed to then prevent rotation of shaft 29 in a direction to advance shaft 23 and maintaining spring 30 under pressure. The shoulder of the collar is radial or abrupt and engages the adjacent end of bar 33 at substantially a right angle, so that the pressure of spring 30 exerts a strong frictional holding action against the bar. A rod 34 projects through and depends from the bar, said rod having a head 34a above and normally bearing on the bar, and a light spring 35 pressing up against the bar and tending to lift the'same, but of insumcient strength to overcome the spring-actuated pressure of the shoulder of collar 3! against the bar.

The rod at its lower end is connected to the horizontal leg of a bell crank 36. The upstanding leg of the bell crank is connected to a pull rod 31 which in turn is connected to a horizontal lever 33. This lever is pivoted under the tank for horizontal swinging movement, and projects from the front of the tank on the left side in the form of a foot pedal 39 (see Fig. 4). The pull rod is connected to the lever at such a point relative to the pivot thereof that shifting of the pedal toward the left raises rod 34 and places the spring '35 under increased tension and tending to lift the bar clear of collar 3i. Such movement of the lever is resisted by a spring 60. A pull rod 4| is connected to arm 32 and extends forwardly along the left side of the tank for operation from the front thereof. I

It will therefore be seen that unless the bar 33 is raised from the collar 3|, the shaft 23 cannot be advanced, and such release will only be effected by the positive lifting of rod 34 had by lateral movement of the foot pedal, accompanied by a pull on rod H which backs the collar shoulder from the bar and allows spring 35 to act and raise the bar clear of said collar. As soon as this is done, rod 4! may be released, whereupon spring 3!} will act to advance shaft 23. Due to this spring action, the advance of said shaft will be yieldable or cushioned, so that its end 22 will enter a cylinder socket smoothly yet with a snug fit, due to the taper of said end.

In order that the above shifting of the pedal, which is necessary to enable the shaft 23 to be advanced to engage the cylinder unit, will at the same time serve to dispose and hold said unit ,alined with the shaft 23, a double cam plate 42 is fixed on the shaft 1 below pulley IT. This cam is adapted to be engaged on its edge by a roller 43 mounted on the inner edge of lever 38 (see Fig. 4) The cam edge is the same contour on both sides, and the contour is such that regardless of the initial position of the cam (and cylinders) relative to the lever 38 and its roller, pressure of the roller against the cam, had by shifting of pedal 39 to the left, will turn shaft 1 in one direction or the other until the roller engages a depression or seat 42a in the cam edge. When the roller is so engaged, the cam will be held from further.

rotation, and the cylinders are then alined with the shaft 23.

The gear is provided with a throw-out fork unit 76 when engaging the shaft 23 with the cylinder position while pulling on "rod 4!, after which the pedal and rod may be released. ,The latch bar 33 then rides on top of the collar 3| above its shoulder, ready to reensage said shoulder whenever rod 4| is pulled to retract the shaft 23.

The motor switch. 20, which is mounted to the left of the tank, is closed by upward movement of the outer end of a pivoted blade 44, which is operatively connected to .aflvertical rod 46 (see e,a4o,c4s unit, the foot pedal as is held ina shifted V 3 and interlocking of tank door! in the renewing manner: The door is flexibly connected to and depends from an overreaching arm 62 which at one end forms a handle and adjacent the handle is adapted, when the door is closed, to engage a fixed latch .piate 88 upstanding from the tank (see Figs. '1' and s). At its other end, the arm is pivoted on a bracket 64 on the tank.

Figs. 6, 9 and 10). Upward movement is im-' parted to the rod, to raise theblade and close the-switch, by means of a bell cranlnunit 46 mounted on the adjacent side of the tank. One

leg of the bell crank is operatively connected to the rod while-the'other leg is disposed near the front of the tank'and is formed as an'operating The rod at its lower end has handle or lever. lost-motion connection with oneend of a lever unit .41 pivoted intermediateits ends in a fixed position. This lever at its other end overhangs lever 38 when the latter is in its normal nonshifted position (see Fig. 4), and is formed on said end with a depending pin 48 normally clear of but adapted to enter a socket 48 in lever 36 when lever 41 is tilted by raising of rod 46, as

shown in Fig. 10. In this manner, the lever 38 is prevented from being shifted when switch 26 is closed, so that shaft 23 cannot be advanced when shaft l is rotating and the cylinder unit is spinning, and which would probably damage the machine.

In order to hold the rod 45 raised when pres- The upper end .of rod 46 is pivotedon the horizontal leg 'of a bell crank 66 pivoted on the bracket 4 below arm 62, whose vertical upstanding arm is pivoted on a locking bolt 66 slidable in a guide 61 on arm 82. when rod 46 is in its normal lowered position, the bolt 66 is clear of a socket II in plate 68, and the point of pivotal connection of said bolt with the bell crank. is coaxial with the pivot of armj2, so that the door can be swung open or closed without interference or binding; when the rod 46 is raised, however,

the locking bolt is advanced into the socket and thus the door cannot be opened as long as switch .26 isclosed and the cylinder unit is spinning.

' and engages a pair of bevel pinions i3 turnable sure on the actuating handle is released, said rod is provided near the bottom with a lateral catch pin W adapted when the rod is raised to engage and seat on a shoulder 61 formed on an upstanding latch arm 52 (see Fig. 11); said arm being fixed on'a pivot shaft 53. A spring 64 applied to rod db, tends to pull the same down.

In order to release the latch arm when desired after a spinning operation, so as to cause switch it to open and stop the motor, and to also brake the rapid rotation of the cylinder 'unit, 1 provide the following arrangement: Pivoted under the tank adjacent the right hand side thereof for movement in a vertical plane is a foot lever 56 (see Fig. 4). At its inner pivoted end, this lever is provided with a short, upstanding arm 66 (see Fig. 3) to which one end of a horizontal pull rod if is connected. The other end of this rod is connected to one leg of a horizontal bell crank W mounted under the'tank to one side of and adjacent pulley ii. A link rod 59 is connected to the other leg of the bell crank and to a short arm 61) upstanding from shaft 53 (see Fig. 6). A spring ti is applied to hell crank 58 in a direction to maintain the outer end of foot lever 65 raised, and catch arm 52 pressed against pin 50.

Said other leg of the bell crank 58 extends in facing relation to the position of pulley H exposed between the runs of belt it, and is provided with a brake shoe 62 normally clear of but adapted to engage said portion of the pulley, which thus also serves. as a brake drum. The parts on shaft Ill. A clutch sleeve 14 is keyed on shaft 16 to alternately engage the bevel pinions in driving relation with said shaft. This sleeve is en'- gaged by a shifting fork 16 fixed ona shaft'lt parallel to shaft ill. Shaft 16 is engaged by a slidable upstanding yoke (1 (see Fig. 13), counterbalancing or cushion springs I8 being mounted on the shaft between the ends of. the yoke and a fixed collar 19 on said shaft.

Transversely spaced upstanding guide and stop lugs 80 on the yoke receive a disc 8| therebetween,

said disc having diametrally opposed pins 82 projecting laterally therefrom to alternately engage the lugs on opposite sides, as shown in Figs. 13 and 16. The disc is'provided with an overbalancing weight 83 on one side between pins 82.

the weight being of sufilcient effect to impart a shifting movement of the fork and clutch sleeve when the disc is turned so that the weight exerts foot lever 65 is depressed, the brake will be applied and the link tswill be pushed to cause latch arm at to'be disengaged from pin 66. This will allow, spring 54 to pull rod 45- down, opening switch 20 before any brake pressure is applied. At the same time the holding pin 46 will be withits influence in one direction or the other.

The 'disc BI is mounted on a screw sleeve 86 slidabiy keyed on theshaft 23 and threaded through a fixed bearing 85, so that as the sleeve 84 rotates, it is shifted lengthwise relative to the disc, which remains in a fixed position due to the guide lugs 86. An enlarged head at fixed on one end of sleeve 84 has a shoulder ill to engage a stop 88 on the adjacent side. of the disc 8|, while an adjustable collar 69onv the sleeve on the opposite side of the disc has an oppositely facing shoulder 90 to engage a stop 9! on -the corresponding side of the disc (see Fig. 12). The pins 82 are radially out from the collar and as not to interfere therewith.

The clutch sleeve It is of course always disposed in engagement with one pinion or the other, and it drawn from'lever 38. All the controls arethus.

returned to their original position. Movement of rod 65 also controls the locking will therefore be seen that the shaft 23, and sleeve 84 thereon, will be driven in one direction from shaft I6 through bevel gear and the spur pinion and gear 21 and 26. As the sleeve 84 shifts nits position due to its threaded engagement with bearing in the direction shown in Fig. 12, the

head, so

shoulder ll will ultimately engage stop II and throw the disc ll over. This will reverse the position of the pins l2 relative to lugs 08, and the shifting fork will be instantly reversed in position, the cushioning action of springs 18 providing for a smooth and quiet clutching action. The direction of rotation of shaft II is thus instantly reversed, reversing the screw sleeve, causing collar I! to retract from the disc. The head 86 is now approaching the disc, and upon reaching the same, will throw the disc over again, due to the engagement of shoulder 81 with stop It. The direction of rotation of shaft 23 will thus be again reversed. The number of rotations of the shaft in either direction before a reversal takes place, of course depends on the spacing of the head 86 and collar 89 from each other, as will be evident, and the number of rotations may be altered to suit different conditions by adjusting the collar along the screw sleeve. It may here be noted that these movements are automatic, and take place continuously as long as the machine is being operated, whether the shaft 23 is being used for cylinder oscillating purposes or not, the only manual control being that applied to the axial shifting of shaft 23.

- To restate the operations briefly, after the cylinders are loaded with equal weights of fabrics or garments, and their doors are closed and locked, and the door is also closed and latched, pedal 39 is then shifted and held while the rod M is pulled and then released. The pedal may then be re-, leased also. The cylinders will then be oscillated, and after a desired time of operation, rod M is pulled to withdraw andv hold the shaft 23 clear of the cylinder unit.

The handle of bell crank 48 is then shifted to close the switch 29 which starts a spinning of the cylinder unit, such spinning being at high speed to provide for a thorough extraction of fluid from the cylinders.

After the necessary time of spinning has elapsed, the foot lever 55 is depressed, which opens the switch and applies the brake on the rapidly revolving unit.

It is then desirable to exhaust the fumes from the tank before opening thedoor 5. For accomplishing this, I have provided a blower 92 back of the tank above gear box 25, and driven by motor 92a. The intake pipe 93 of the blower is connected near the bottom of the tank and its exhaust stack 96 leads to outside atmosphere. A closure 95 is provided for the intake, which is controlled from the front of the tank by a suitable linkage and lever mechanism indicated generally at 96. When the blower is in use, door 5 is opened to allow fresh air to pass into and be drawn through the tank.

Two cylinders are employed not only for balance and to allow of a high speed of rotation or spinning without excessive vibration, but to enable two diilerent types of fabrics to be cleaned simultaneously. Also, the cylinders are of course provided with internal lifters or baiiles, disposed in spaced relation about the periphery of the cylinders.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may beresorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as' defined by the ,appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A cleaning machine including a pair of exially alined and spaced foraminous cylinders for the reception of fabrics to be cleaned, means mounting the cylinders as a unit for rotation about their axis in a horizontal plane and also about a vertical axis disposed centrally between the cylinders, a horizontal axially movable drive shaft mounted in a fixed position radially of said vertical axis and normally clear of the horizontal circular path of the cylinder unit, axially located elements on the opposite ends of the cylinders for separate engagement with the adjacent end of the shaft in driving relationship, manually operable means to advance the shaft into engagement with an element, means to spin the unit about said vertical axis, manual means to control the operation of the spinning means, and manually actuated means operable when the spinning means is out of operation to both positively turn the unit to and hold the same against movement from a position axially alined with the drive shaft; said last named means including a single member movable in one direction to eiiect such turning and a holding of the unit.

has been halted and irrespective of the halted position thereof; said last named means including a cam plate fixed on the vertical shaft below the tank projecting equally in opposite directions ,therefrom'and having symmetrical sideedge contours, a horizontally shiftable pedal member pivoted under the tank and projecting to one side of the plate, and an element on the inner end of the member to ride against and rotate the plate when the member is shifted; said plate on each side having a centrally disposed seat for the element, the plate being set on the shaft in such position relative to the cylinder unit that when the element is engaged with a seat, the unit is in tion.

3. A dry cleaner including a foraminous cylin der for the reception of fabrics to be cleaned, and mounted with its axis horizontal, normally inactive means to rotate the cylinder about its axis, normally inactive means to spin the cylinder about a vertical axis, manual means including a shiftable lever to place the cylinder spinning means in operation, manual means including another shiftable lever to place the cylinder rotating means in operation and a locking device connected to and functioning with shifting of the last named lever to lock the first named lever against shifting.

4. A structure as in claim 3, with another manual lever operable to release the locking device and also place the spinning means out of opera- 5. In a cleaning machine, a closed tank, a pair of axially alined horizontal and spaced fabric receiving cylindersin the tank, a stub shaft connecting the cylinders axially thereof, a bearing block about-the shaft, a vertical shaft rigid with and depending from the block and through the 76 bottom of the tank for operation from a point said predetermined posimeans mounting the unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and independently about a vertical axis, means to rotate the unit horizontally including an axially movable horizontaldrive shaft disposed radially of said vertical. axis and normally clear of the unit but engageable therewith upon advance of the shaft when the unit is radially alined with said shaft, means to advance the shaft, holding means normally preventing such advance of the shaft, manual means to release the holding means, manual means to turn the unit to alined position-with the shaft and means between said last named manual means and the holding means to prevent release of the latter by said first named manual means unless the unit is in such shaft alined position.

7. A structure as in claim 6, with means included with the shaft advancing and holding means and with said first named manual means to retract the shaft and reset theholding means upon reactuation of said first named manual means.

8. In a cleaning machine, a cylinder unit, means mounting the unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and independently about a vertical axis, means to rotate the unit horizontally including an axially movable horizontal drive shaft disposed radially of said vertical axis and normally clear of the unit but engageable therewith upon advance of the shaft when the unit is 1 radially alined with said shaft, means to advance the shaft, including a spring and another shaft rotatably acted on by the spring, a notched collar on said other shaft, a pivoted latch bar normally engaging the collar notch to prevent rotation of said other shaft in a drive-shaft advancing direction, a releasing rod projecting through the bar and movable in one direction to exert a yieldable releasing action on the bar, manual means including a lever to turn the unit to a. shaft alineol position, means between the manual means and the rod to move the latter in said one directionupon turning of the unit and a manually oper-.

able member connected to said other shaft to initially turn the same against the spring pressure to enable the bar to move clear of the collar notch only when the rod has been moved to exert its releasing action on the bar.

9. In a cleaning machine, a cylinder unit, means mounting the unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and independently about a vertical axis, normally inactive means to rotate the unit horizontally when the unit is in a predetermined position, means to move the unit to such position and at the same time place the unit rotating means in operation and including a manual lever movable in one directionfrom a predetermined neutral position, drive means to rotate the unit about a vertical-axis, hand means to place said drive means in operation, an automatic releasable connection between said last named hand means and the lever and preventin movement of the lever from said predetermined position when the drive means is in operation.

10. In a cleaning machine, a cylinder unit, means mounting the unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and independently about a vertical axis, normally inactive means to rotate the unit horizontally when the unit is in a predetermined position, means to move the unit to such position and at the same time place the unit rotating means in operation and including a manual lever movable in one direction from a predetermined neutral position, drive means to rotate the .unit about a vertical axis, hand means to place said drive means in operation, and including a vertical rod movable upwardly from a predetermined neutral position, a substantially horizontal leverpivoted intermediate its ends with one end engageable and lifted by said rod upomupward movement thereof and a depending pin on the other end of the lever overhanging and adapted upon downward movement of said end of the lever to enter a socket in said manual lever when the latter is in its neutral position. LE ROY ED. BERRY. 

